Richmond News | Hannah Link | Sep 19, 2025
A Port Alberni industrial construction company that released footage of its articulating rock truck falling into Nitinat Lake last month has been told to prepare a report detailing what it has done to comply with B.C. health and safety regulations.
A video posted to the Roc-Star Enterprises Facebook page on Aug. 28, two days after the incident, shows the edge of the lake collapsing under the weight of a truck carrying logs, pulling the vehicle into the water with its operator inside.
The man was able to get out of the truck through the window and swam to safety, said the Port Alberni-based company.
“He handled the situation remarkably well,” said the post.
The company said it posted the video to raise awareness of the need for vigilance and planning, given the “unpredictable nature” of shoreline work.
In its post, the company said it is conducting an investigation and working with relevant agencies to prevent an accident like the one on Aug. 28 from happening again.
“We believe this incident serves as a powerful reminder of the unpredictable nature of shoreline work and the need for ongoing vigilance, planning and safety training across all levels of heavy industry,” it said.
A WorkSafeBC inspection report said the incident happened while the workers were rehabilitating a nearby stream, adding that the company intended to place the logs alongside it.
The report, published on Sept. 12, said the employer was operating in contravention of a section of B.C.’s occupational health and safety regulations that says that “a workplace must be planned, constructed, used and maintained to protect from danger any person working at the workplace.”
Roc-Star Enterprises must prepare a notice of compliance report detailing what they have done to comply with the regulation, WorkSafeBC’s report said.